KANSAS CITY, MO — True to its name, Hewn Bread is known throughout Chicago for its hand-hewn menu. Every item in the bakery case — from the hearty Blonde Country loaf to flaky squiggle croissants — is crafted in-house, from scratch.
At this North Shore bakery, the bread’s journey begins long before it reaches the ovens, and perhaps that’s what resonates most with its loyal customer base. When they walk into Hewn’s flagship bakehouse in Evanston, IL, the remnants of organic, stone-milled flours permeate the atmosphere, enticing repeat purchases.
‘Baking’ the ambience
“Someone once described our bakery as ‘being inside a loaf of bread,’” said Ellen King, who co-founded the bakery in 2013 with partner Julie Matthei. “I always joke that our aesthetic is ‘colonial meets the Dust Bowl.’ When you walk into our shop, it’s almost like you go back in time … flour dust is always in the air here.”
That locally sourced flour, combined with the starter Ellen created before Hewn officially opened, is used to build the bakery’s diverse range of loaves, which can include anything from polenta, pumpkin seed and rosemary varieties to spent grain beer bread.
The hand-crafted touch doesn’t stop at the bread. Hewn’s pastries are also made from scratch every day using grains, fruits, vegetables and dairy sourced from its pool of trusted farmers. A full selection of croissants, brioche, scones, muffins and other sweet treats offers customers an authentic taste of what’s in season.
Handmade style, homegrown success
While business is certainly booming — with a flagship location and two additional outposts — the bakery’s approach to production is simple.
“Our goal isn’t to become the best bakery in the country,” Ellen said. “Our goal is to be honest with the craft and show up every day to do the work that makes our products the best. It often counters what people think of as the ‘modern industry,’ where we never run out of products just so we can make more money. [Hewn] was never meant to function as a machine shop. We don’t make anything that I wouldn’t be proud of eating.”
Every loaf is naturally fermented without preservatives, conditioners or additives. From first mix to finished bake, each loaf of bread ferments for roughly 20 hours. That heritage taste is the defining trait for Hewn’s success. The bakery prides itself on a consistent menu, where each bread has character and each pastry tells a story.
“In a way, we’re trendy by just sticking true to history,” Ellen said. “If the trends drive your business, you’re never really in control of it. If you’re always trying to chase the latest trend, then you’re attracting customers who won’t be there for the long term … but if you know who you are, what you are and why you are, it’s easy to stay true to that.”
For some, a winning strategy is to be nimble with product development, switching at a moment’s notice to bake whatever new thing is taking over social media. But for Hewn, staying nimble means pivoting with the seasons and finding new ways to incorporate familiar ingredients … and that’s how this Chicago bakery keeps customers coming back for more.
This story has been adapted from the July | A2 2026 Craft to Crumb special edition mini-mag. Read the full digital issue here.
